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Daily Archives: November 20, 2008

Highlights from Rutgers coach Greg Schiano’s chat with the media following practice Thursday:

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT BALL STATE IS 11-0?I have not seen them play at all but I’m happy for them. Brady’s a heck of a coach and a great guy so it couldn’t happen to better bunch of guys. Those were good guys to be with at the bowl game last year.

AMAZING THAT THEY HAVEN’T LOST SINCE THE INTERNATIONAL BOWLThey have good players.

ARMY’S DEFENSE, WHAT THE BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THEM?They’re outstanding. First of all, they know what they want to do. There’s no mystery, they play a lot of coverages but they really know where they fit in those coverages. The front seven, I think, is really good. They have good athletes in the backend but the front seven, they really fit the things well. They give you a bunch of little things in their pressure that could be tricky. So it’s a multiple defense that’s well coached and their kids play extremely hard. I mean, really hard.

It’s hard to believe that Rutgers wideout Kenny Britt was left off the semifinal list for the Biletnikoff Award this week. But Rutgers is still making a strong push for the star junior to make the All-America team.

Britt, who ranks third nationally in receiving yards per game (110.4) and leads the Big East in both receptions (76) and receiving yards, is bidding to become Rutgers’ first All-America first-team selection on offense since tight end Marco Battaglia in 1995.

Ray Rice was picked to the All-America second team the past two years.

“I think Kenny’s earned that,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “He’s just played his way into a position, and I’m not the only one that considers him a viable candidate for that.”

Nose tackle Pete Tverdov ranks third in the Big East with 12 tackles-for-loss this season. (HNT Photo)

No one’s better at getting a lively quote out of a player than Paul Franklin. Here is Paul’s story that’s chock full of insightful nuggets from Rutgers nose tackle Pete Tverdov:

Pete Tverdov never had a problem playing defense, going back to the neighborhood days in Union. When everybody wanted to be the quarterback or carry the football, Tverdov was fine being the guy who went after them.

He’s still chasing people with the ball. And still catching them.

In Rutgers’ romp over South Florida last weekend he had another tackle for loss, his 12th straight game with at least one. He recovered a fumble and tipped three passes, one of which resulted in an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

His tackle-for-loss per-game average is 39th nationally.

“When I was growing up we used to play pickup football, and it was serious. We’d have linemen and schemes involved; it was hilarious. We always had a rule that smaller guys played running back. Bigger guys had to play O-line, but you could play whatever you want on defense. It was funny,” Tverdov said. “I’d be like, ‘All right, I’m gonna line up on the left, and all you guys slant to the right.’ The guys we used to play with, we had so much fun, it was really a great time.

“I remember one of my friend’s little brothers was really good with a camera, so he would film games and make a highlight tape of it and start showing people that. It was a big deal what we had going on. A lot of the games were at Washington School where I grew up,” he said. “A kid I’m best friends with – he wound up being my high school quarterback – whenever I played against him we would literally get in fist fights and just start arguing.”

Prospects are able to sign letters of intent beginning Wednesday. Per a new rule last season, college football programs are able to accept National Letters of Intent (NLIs) during an early signing period for three days in December. These NLIs are a binding commitment between school and individual. In 2018, this period begins Wednesday December […]

The former Scarlet Knight rushed for over 100 yards for the third time in his past five games Gus Edwards has paved an unlikely path from undrafted free agent to making the practice squad to becoming the starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens, all since this past April. After having a productive final season […]